Action Lab Danger Zone 2017
Written & Illustrated by Dan Mendoza
Coloured by Dan Mandoza & Valentina Puco
Lettered by Adam Wollett
This is the issue where we get to learn the full origin of Dollface which begins in the late 17th Century in Salem Mass. A coven of witches making a sacrifice of the three virgin daughters of a witch hunter, note there’s boobs here so definitely not for children. Only before the soul of the third triplet can be taken by the coven something happens and she finds herself inside a new body in a new time. Yes this is spoilery so beware.
So what happened how did this young woman end up in the present when she was about to be sacrificed? That’s what you’ll have to read to find out. I do have to say however that the fact that these two friends who built the body did so with the intention of kind making a sex doll who ends up being possessed of a time displaced living soul is more than a little amusing.
You have to appreciate Zombie Tramp’s reaction to all this as well. She’s like all boo hoo poor you blah blah and it’s the kind of interaction that makes you laugh. Well that and the fact that this spirit Spermy we still have no clue why this horndog ghost in the shape of a sperm is there. The very much different viewpoints of the size of breasts and being either made to be or having to become a sex toy was something that has some great amount of adult humour put into it.
Personally I think there’s something great about the fact that this starts off like a story from a fanboy living in their mother’s basement that turns into something much legitimate and veers away using humour to both mock and exploit it.
I do like the interiors here they may have that all-ages feel to them but they are anything but. The use of page layouts through angles, perspective and even with limited backgrounds they convey the tone, mood and feel of what’s going on very nicely.
So now with the origin of Lila pretty much out there for us and getting to see her first encounter with her new body and how she continues to fight the witches it’s time for things to get into high gear. I think that by being able to weave the purpose of the story into the her origin we get pretty solid look at who she is. The characterisation is nicely done all around and the way that the story is structured shows me that Dan understands how to effectively use the tools of his trade.
There’s this fun and whimsy mixed in with a solid story focusing on a time displaced witch hunter here that is as fun as it is exciting.